Whatcom jury reaches guilty verdict in trial of Seattle man accused of killing his brother, Woman arrested after setting fire to a truck with someone inside it, Hiker and dog rescued from cave near Sudden Valley, Bellingham to move forward with trail expansion around Sunset Pond, Businesses along Chuckanut Drive struggling in wake of rockslide, Water quality up for shellfish– except in Portage Bay, AG’s office joins 18 others in challenging cuts to U.S. HHS agency, Downtown community meeting held today, City of Bellingham seeks community member support
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, May 6th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Whatcom jury reaches guilty verdict in trial of Seattle man accused of killing his brother
A Seattle man has been found guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting his half-brother during a trip in the North Cascades in 2022.
A jury reached the verdict Monday after two days of deliberation. Prosecutors say 42-year-old John Roper Thomson shot and killed 69-year-old Robert Thomson near Diablo Lake in August of 2022. He was originally charged with first-degree murder, but eventually convicted on the lesser charge, which still requires proof of intent — just without premeditation. Thomson was also found guilty of two counts of unlawful firearm possession due to a prior felony.
Thomson now faces life in prison; sentencing is set for June 5th in Whatcom County.
STORY: Woman arrested after setting fire to a truck with someone inside it
A woman was arrested by Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies after allegedly setting fire to a truck parked at McGee Road while someone was inside it.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning. According to Amy Cloud with the Sheriff’s Office, an investigation found that the suspect poured gasoline on and inside the truck before lighting it on fire. The suspect said the person inside the truck had stolen it from her; the individual on the truck disagreed, and told deputies they had purchased the vehicle from the suspect for $15,000.
While it’s unknown if the individual inside the truck sustained any injuries from the fire, the Bellingham Herald was told by Cloud that the vehicle sustained over $3,000 in damages.
The suspect was arrested on felony charges of first-degree arson and malicious mischief, as well as a gross misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment. She remained in custody at the Whatcom County Jail as of yesterday.
STORY: Hiker and dog rescued from cave near Sudden Valley
A man and his dog are safe after being rescued from a cave near Sudden Valley over the weekend.
The Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council says the two had been hiking at Lookout Mountain Nature Preserve on Saturday when the dog fell into a cave, and the owner became stuck trying to reach it. A group of passing hikers spotted the situation and called for help. Rescue teams worked through the night, using ropes and pulleys to safely extract both the man and his dog.
Fortunately, neither was injured, and they were able to walk out on their own.
STORY: Bellingham to move forward with trail expansion around Sunset Pond
Construction is set to begin in June on a long-awaited trail around Sunset Pond in Bellingham.
According to the City of Bellingham, the nearly $4 million project will include a boardwalk, bridges, and new connections to the city’s Greenways system. The City Council unanimously approved the construction contract on April 28th. Funding comes from developer fees, the Greenways levy, and a $1 million state recreation grant.
Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Oliver says the work could take up to two years to complete.
STORY: Businesses along Chuckanut Drive struggling in wake of rockslide
A major rockslide on Chuckanut Drive is taking a toll on local businesses, with three popular restaurants reporting sharp drops in customers.
The slide, which happened April 22nd, shut down a section of the scenic highway between mileposts 9.5 and 10, which cut off access between the Oyster Bar, Taylor Shellfish Farms, and Chuckanut Manor. According to the Bellingham Herald, The Oyster Bar’s owner said business is down 50% — the worst he’s seen in nearly four decades. The slide, which stretches 150 feet long and 30 feet deep, remains unstable, preventing geotechnical engineers from safely assessing the site.
There’s no timeline yet for clearing the debris or reopening the road.
STORY: Water quality up for shellfish– except in Portage Bay
Marine water quality is improving across most of Washington’s commercial shellfish harvesting areas — but not everywhere.
In Whatcom County, Portage Bay has been flagged as one of 13 areas now at risk of new shellfish harvest restrictions due to rising pollution levels. Failing septic systems, farm runoff, and pet waste has been increasing the fecal coliform bacteria in the bay.
The area still meets current health standards, and the shellfish remain safe to eat for now. However, if conditions do not improve, new restrictions
could be imposed. Since 2011, the Department of Health has funneled over $58 million into pollution control efforts — that includes more than $11 million in the last two years alone.
To check the status of recreational shellfish harvesting in your area, visit the Shellfish Safety Map on the Department of Health’s website.
STORY: AG’s office joins 18 others in challenging cuts to U.S. HHS agency
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has joined 18 other state attorneys general in a lawsuit against Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health and Human Services, and other officials in the Trump administration.
The suit challenges recent moves to strip, reconfigure and drain resources from HHS. It urges the court to halt firings, strike down restructuring, and restore crucial health-related services eliminated since President Trump took office.
In a statement released yesterday, Brown said the Trump administration is, quote, “disregarding the constitutional separation of powers and undermining the laws and budgets enacted by Congress to protect public health,” unquote.
Among the numerous actions the lawsuit seeks to undo or reverse, Brown cites the closure of key CDC laboratories for testing and tracking
outbreaks like measles, the elimination of half the workforce of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services administration and the closing of all of its regional offices, as well as the firing of the entire maternal health team at the CDC.
Brown will lead the lawsuit, alongside New York Attorney General Letitia (luh-TEE-shun) James and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha (nuh-ROAN-nah).
This action is the latest in a series taken by the state; Brown’s office has also recently joined or initiated lawsuits over the Trump administration’s moves to defund Head Start, freeze the development of wind energy, dismantle AmeriCorps, and withhold federal funding from public schools that do not certify their commitment to end all DEI programs.
WX: *clears thoat* SEVENTY-FOOOOOOUR
And now for the weather:
Today should be bright and sunny once again, with highs in the low 70s. Expect some scattered clouds throughout the day, with more accumulating as the evening wears on. Expect overcast skies tonight with temperatures in the low 50s.
The clouds will likely persist throughout tomorrow, bringing cooler temperatures and a slight chance of morning rain.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, and Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg). Tune in to local news on KMRE weekdays at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. For news tips and feedback, send us an email at news@kmre.org or call 360-398-6150. KMRE is a nonprofit community radio station, powered by your donations. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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STORY: Downtown community meeting held today (FOR WED)
The Downtown Neighborhood Association is hosting a community meeting today, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Boundary Bay Brewery’s outdoor beer garden.
Organized by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, the free event is open to all. Mayor Lund will share updates on the City’s efforts to move Downtown Forward. It’s a chance for residents to engage and help shape the future of downtown Bellingham. More details are available on the Downtown Forward website.
STORY: City of Bellingham seeks community member support (FOR THUR)
If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to help the City of Bellingham grow, here are two options.
The City says it currently has two open positions on the Transportation Commission—an advisory board that plays a key role in guiding local transportation planning and policy. If you’re passionate about how people get around Bellingham, visit cob.org/bc to learn more and apply.
And if clean water, healthy forests, and outdoor recreation is more your thing, don’t miss the upcoming community meeting on the Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan. The City of Bellingham and Whatcom County are partnering with experts to plan the future of over 13,000 acres of forested land. Join the conversation on TODAY, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Silver Beach Elementary School. Can’t make it in person? Share your input online at engagebellingham.org.
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